Configuring the Notation and Attributes

BPMN 2.0 is a comprehensive process modeling notation with more than 150 shapes and connectors. Most companies never use all of them, so it's helpful to create a subset of the frequently used process elements for easy access.

Focusing on the frequently used elements helps users avoid unnecessary complexity and focus on the best-suited notations for their processes. For example, if you're creating an end-to-end process, you can show your modelers only the elements that pertain to those types of processes. 

Watch the following video to see how to add a BPMN subset.

You can change the default appearance of the notation elements, such as the font or color for the tasks. These format attributes are defined for all notation subsets. For example, if you change the background color of the task element, the system changes all BPMN subsets accordingly. 

Watch the following video to see how to customize default colors and font formats for element types on a task.

You can further customize your notations and attributes through custom attributes. Custom attributes allow you to add additional information that's specific to your process, based on company requirements. For example, you can add an attribute that shows a specific role that is responsible for a process like the Process Owner.

Watch the following video on how to create custom attributes.

Custom attributes work in the same way as standard attributes in a modeling notation and can also be displayed in the Collaboration Hub. Let's look at some commonly used attributes for processes and tasks.

• Process Owner
  • Type: Text (free text)
  • Type: Dictionary link - when assigning responsibilities from the dictionary
• Review Date

  Type: Date - Allows you to set a fixed date for a new review of the process. For example, you can use the search function to search for specific periods of time.

• Process status

  Type: Drop-down box - Allows the storage and filtering of process models according to a specific processing status or maturity level. Typical states are: Approved/In-coordination.

• Customer interaction? or ISO9000 certification?

  Type: Boolean - Enables later filtering of all processes in which customer interaction takes place or ISO9000 is to be applied.

   

• Applicable Documents or Templates
  • Type: Dictionary - Link your documents to your dictionary and maintain centrally. .
  • Type: Document/URL - Refer to an external storage (for example, SharePoint)
• Four attributes for Responsibility Assignment according to RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed)

  Type: Dictionary link - Assign existing items and roles

• Risks and Controls

  Type: Risk Management - Risks and controls are managed via the dictionary.  

• IT System

  Type: Dictionary link - IT systems linked via the dictionary.

With attribute visualization layers, modelers can display attributes directly on the diagram canvas as overlays using different icons and colors. You, as an administrator, create and configure custom rules that define each visualization layer. 

Attribute visualization layers can be configured and displayed for the following diagram types:

• BPMN diagrams
• Value chain diagrams
• ArchiMate diagrams
• Organization charts

Let's say you must create an IT system attribute because the modeler wants to put additional information behind the process task.

To indicate that there is a specific IT information behind a task, for example, you can do this through an attribute visualization. A task managed by an IT system will now have an IT icon next to it (a so-called overlay). 

Watch the following video to learn how to set up the attribute visualization for an IT system, so you can then apply it on your own workspace.

Now that you have set up the attribute visualization, the process modeler would need to add information in the diagram to make the attribute overlays visible.

This is how it looks like in the Process Collaboration Hub:

In the next example, we want all costs of the tasks to be marked with different colors based on their amount. For this, the attribute visualization needs to be customized with some further conditions.

If the cost is:

• Higher than $15 use a red icon.
• Between $10 and $15 use a yellow icon.
• Lower than $10 use a green icon.

Watch the video below to learn how to do this, and then practice attribute visualization in your own workspace. No worries, you can delete your settings later if you don’t need them.

To improve the visual aspect of process modeling, you can upload custom graphics for use in Customer journeys, Value chains, and BPMN 2.0 diagrams.

For example, visualize an IT system with its company logo (see the following image). This is possible after you upload the custom graphic to your workspace for the respective element.

Depending on the diagram type, the following elements can be customized: 

• BPMN 2.0 diagrams: IT systems, additional participants.
• Value Chains: Processes, collapsed processes.
• Customer Journey Maps: Personas, touchpoints, moments of truth, customers, and decorations.

Custom graphics are tied to the workspace in which they are uploaded - if you have multiple workspaces and want to use custom graphics in each, you must upload them separately to each workspace.

For more information on custom graphics, visit: product documentation. 

Watch the following video on how to set up custom graphics.